CVE-2014-1343 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
WebKit, as used in Apple Safari before 6.1.4 and 7.x before 7.0.4, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted web site, a different vulnerability than other WebKit CVEs listed in APPLE-SA-2014-05-21-1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1343 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within WebKit engine components that power Apple Safari browser versions prior to 6.1.4 and 7.x before 7.0.4. This issue demonstrates the inherent risks associated with complex web rendering engines that process untrusted content from internet websites. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and memory management controls within the WebKit rendering engine, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit memory corruption patterns that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a crafted web page that triggers specific memory corruption conditions within WebKit's JavaScript engine or rendering components. Attackers can construct malicious web content that, when loaded in affected Safari versions, causes memory corruption through improper handling of web page elements, JavaScript execution contexts, or memory allocation patterns. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution. The flaw specifically manifests when the browser processes certain combinations of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript elements that cause memory management errors in the WebKit engine's memory allocation or deallocation processes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full arbitrary code execution capabilities that could enable attackers to compromise user systems entirely. When successfully exploited, the memory corruption can allow remote attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the browser process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Users visiting compromised websites or clicking on malicious links could unknowingly trigger this vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in real-world scenarios where users interact with untrusted web content. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw places it within the highest severity risk categories and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as the exploited memory corruption enables attackers to inject and execute arbitrary commands.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-1343 primarily focus on immediate patch deployment and browser updates as recommended by Apple's security advisories. Organizations should prioritize updating affected Safari versions to 6.1.4 or 7.0.4 respectively, as these releases contain the necessary memory management fixes and input validation improvements. Additionally, network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can provide additional defense-in-depth layers by blocking access to known malicious domains. Browser security configurations should be hardened through disabling unnecessary features and implementing strict security policies. The vulnerability's nature makes it particularly susceptible to exploit mitigation through modern browser security features like Address Space Layout Randomization ASLR and Data Execution Prevention DEP, which can make exploitation attempts more difficult and less reliable. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual browser behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while incident response procedures should be updated to address potential compromise scenarios involving browser-based attacks.